How About...ESA TV?

ESA TV 

ESA tv Live  is here!! you may...

How About...our Sun Feb. 2. 13- Feb.12.13

Credits NASA, SOHO

How About...Valentine's Asteroid?

THIS ASTEROID WILL NOT HIT EARTH

what's so amazing is how near its orbit will allow this asteroid to flyby.

I could write a thousand words, but I prefer to show you these awesome details brought to you by NASA:

How About...Space Fossils

My first video in spanish, I hope you enjoy it .

Yes your read right, universe fossils. Most of you might have heard about the fact that the star upon which you just made a wish is dead. The reason why this fact is so true, is because even though a star died thousands of years ago, its light keeps traveling in space. Thanks to this phenomenon, we get to know more about the past. That’s why these remnants have been described as universe or space fossils.

Now what NASA scientists scientist Marco Ajello a postdoctoral researcher at the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology at Stanford University in California and the Space Sciences Laboratory at the University of California at Berkeley.and his investigation team have done, is measure the amount of space fossils. This means they have measured the exact amount of starlight that has ever existed since the universes origins.

This fossil starlight named by scientists as extragalactic background light (EBL) acts as a cosmic fog.

But how do they do it? Well Scientists used Fermi’s Large area telescope or LAT, to analyze the gamma rays from a 150 blazars, that means galaxies powered by blackholes, and found out energies of around 3 billion electron volts, that means at least 1 billion times the energy of visible light

Blazars are galaxies powered by supermassive blackholes which are fed from matter. When matter is swallowed by this supermassive blackhole, it collides with other particles causing gamma rays and many other rays from the light spectrum (i.e. x-rays ) to be ejected violently in opposite directions, just like this image below.

this is an artist's concept of a quasar, also part of the family of blazars

With these large amount of energy ejected as light (gamma rays) scientists can measure the amount of space fossils and know more about our origins. 

When scientist compare the gamma rays emitted from 150 different blazars and that that has been received they of course find some difference. The reason is because when gamma rays collide against these  "space fossils" or EBL, starlight "cosmic fog", transform into something else. 

image captured by the Fermi's Large Area Telescope. Green dots are blazars, orange line milky way. Image from NASA.

Yes, when gamma rays hit the EBL, they become electrons and its antimatter part called positrons. We no longer have gamma rays but, two different particles. Since not all the gamma rays hit againts cosmic fog, we still receive certain amount of them. 

Comparing these results and measurements scientists have been able to measure not only the amount of cosmic fossils or cosmic fog, but also space's density. 

What scientists have concluded is that the distance between two different stars is around 4,150 light-years.  For you to have a better idea of how much a light-year is you need to know first the distance between the Earth and the Sun.

The distance between the Earth and the Sun is 150 million km. This  distance is commonly known as an Astronomical Unit or AU. Now returning to the light-year, one light year equals 63,000 Astronomical Units. Can you imagine that?

For you to be able to travel only 1 light-year you would need to travel the distance between the sun and the Earth 63,000 times! now imagine 4,150 light years!

More investigations like this one could lead us to more precise data about our origins and the universe first stars that lit their light for the first time.

Thanks for reading.

I.

 

How About...A fifth moon?

One more moon unveiled

NASA's team of astronomers, with the help of Hubble Space Telescope discovered another Moon orbiting the now Dwarf Planet Pluto.

How About...Blazing Jets?

Astronomers have found that there are several fluctuations on blazing jets at Blackholes.

Nowadays Blackholes are nothing new to you (or at least they shouldn't...and if you have not heard about them, wait for my article: How About...Blackholes? , in which you'll know more information about them)  but now astronomers have seen that they might behave a little bit different than thought.

How About...Stars?

Herschel Telescope has changed what we know about new born galaxies.

Remember that previous article about Filaments, called Sonic Boom? (Well if you haven't read it yet, I'd recommend you to read it. ) Well, now Herschel brought us even better news about how galaxies form. 

How About...Sonic Boom!

Remember a previous post dealing with Herschel Telescope?

Well, if you haven´t read it yet here you can take a look to know more about what I am talking about, because believe me Herschel telescope is amazing.

And if you already read that previous article, I need to tell You something...remember that quote

"188 years later, Herschel still gazes at the skies." Well after reading this article, You might think I will need to re-phrase that quote for something like "188 years later, Herschel keeps surprising us."

How About...This Beauty

Finally,STEREO images of the whole Star, our Sun

This is the result of the images captured by STEREO probes, using high ultraviolet radiation 4-wavelength telescopes.  

A month like this, at the skies...

A month like this, at the skies...

Here is  a great interactive feature you can take a look at, from NASA, dealing with the Remembrance day.

I hope you enjoy.

Remembrance Day Interactive Feature.

Thanks.

I.

How About...Mysterious Moon

41 Years later and she keeps revealing herself

Image taken by Ignacio Morales

Yes, you read correctly, there are still tons of secrets for us to unveil, from our Moon. This year hasn't been the exception, who would ever wonder about a similar...

How About...Jan's Calendar

A month like this, at the skies...

Hello there! I just wanted to tell you, I'll be posting in a different way. From this year on, stay tuned to read this about how Space and Aeronautics was A Month like this at the Skies...   

How About...A Meteor Shower

Hi there! sorry for taking too long on posting new articles, but here is a Christmas Gift in advance:

The Geminids Meteor Shower!

Brief description: the Geminids are the result of an extinct comet named 3200 Phaeton.
Every year by mid-December, Earth runs through 3200 Phaeton debris, causing this major event.
Down here is a live stream of the Meteor shower! the best view will be from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. EST

Special thanks to NASA.

ENJOY!

I.

How About...A Supernova and a Blackhole

An animation by NASA
enjoy!

"This animation shows how a black hole may have formed in SN 1979C. The collapse of a massive star is shown, after it has exhausted its fuel. A flash of light from a shock breaking through the surface of the star is then shown, followed by a powerful supernova explosion. The view then zooms into the center of the explosion."

Credits: NASA/CXC/A.Hobart





I.

How About...Milky Way Bubbles

Newly discovered Bubbles amaze scientists

NASA scientists have discovered something amazing, something we have never seen before: two enormous bubble like figures coming out of the center of our galaxy (Milky Way)

How About...Curiosity Live Broadcast!

Here is Curiosity Mars Rover, live broadcast, at NASA's Clean Room.





Enjoy!


I.

How About...Five Things About Curiosity

Five things you need to know about Curiosity

1. Size: compared to the previous Mars Rovers, Opportunity and Spirit the size of a golf car and Pathfinder the size of a microwave oven, Mars Rover Curiosity is the size of a Mini Cooper.
2. Landing: different from her previous brothers, the landing system for Curiosity will consist on a parachute to slow down its entry and then a rocket-powered backpack that will control the decent until the rover has completely touched down. More precise way of landing compared to the airbags used in Opportunity and Spirit.
3. Tools: ten different instruments will allow Curiosity to examine soil, atmosphere and rocks. The most interesting instrument is the laser that will be capable of vaporizing patches of rock so that it could afterwards carefully examine its organic composition.
4. Wheels: Curiosity has six wheels, each of them with an independent motor drive. Also the two front and rear with independent steering allow Curiosity to take 360° turns on its own place. The wheels' diameter will allow Curiosity to roll over obstacles 75 cm high.
5. Power: the best part of this Mars Rover is its energy source. Compared to Opportunity and Spirit, which worked with solar cells, this Mars Rover will operate with a nuclear battery, allowing it to go further from the equator, where solar power could not be used.

Here are the five facts you need to know about Mars Rover Curiosity.


Enjoy!

Thanks.
I.

How About...AEXA

What is AEXA?

Finally Mexico will be able to have his own Aerospace and Aeronautics Space Center, called AEXA, which stands for "Agencia Espacial Mexicana" (Mexican Space Agency).

How About...A bit of Curiosity

Here are the first baby steps of new Curiosity Mars Rover which will be touching Mars on 2012

enjoy!

Stay in touch for more information.

I.

How About...One Small Step

41 years later we take a look back and feel proud of mankind.

Remembering beautiful moments of science, physics, technology and human achievements.

Fourty-one years ago a famous phrase shook the world, we are now at the twenty first century and we are still waiting for the next small step for man, giant leap for mankind-

Post dedicated to Carlos Larsen, a wise person, whose words boost my goals in life. Thank you.

Enjoy--

I.